Keyword: Horsemen's Benevolent and Protective Association

With a Kentucky judge agreeing with many concerns about equine medication and testing policies raised in recent years by horsemen, the industry group that shapes that policy—the Racing Medication and Testing Consortium—defended its approach.

The National Thoroughbred Racing Association, through its involvement in the H-2B Workforce Coalition, has joined other organizations pushing to have the H-2B visa returning worker exemption reinstated in a continuing resolution.

A day after the Massachusetts Gaming Commission took no action June 11 on the supplemental application by Suffolk Downs for three days of live racing in 2015, local horsemen remained deeply divided on the plan.

The National HBPA announced Monday, April 20 that it had appointed Eric Hamelback as new chief executive officer beginning immediately. The former Adena Springs Kentucky general manager replaces Phil Hanrahan.

A deal that would allow horsemen to lease Suffolk Downs and operate a live race meet in 2015 and 2016 appears to be close at hand, representatives said at a hearing of the Massachusetts Gaming Commission Feb. 19.

Horsemen owed $2.2 million in purses and owner rewards and an unknown amount from claiming transactions from the Presque Isle Downs meeting completed Sept. 25 are awaiting checks and looking for answers.

While no agreement is in place and the two sides still disagree on some important details, Colonial Downs and the Virginia Horsemen's Benevolent and Protective Association have moved closer to an agreement.

Though Calder Casino & Race Course can't export its signal outside of Florida, the Florida HBPA indicated it doesn't expect other horsemen's groups to immediately pull their consent for signals to be sent to Calder.

The Ohio State Racing Commission tabled almost all items on its agenda during its April 24 meeting in Columbus because a resolution on running this year's River Downs dates at Beulah Park has not been reached.

Racing Commissioners International gave final approval April 2 to the "RCI Controlled Therapeutic Medication Schedule," setting the stage for uniform implementation of racing medication rules in the U.S.

The Claiming Crown comes to Gulfstream Park for the south Florida oval's season opener Dec. 1, and local horsemen have responded enthusiastically with 97 entrants in the seven-race series worth a total of $850,000 in purses.

The board of directors of the New England Horsemen's Benevolent and Protective Association met on the night of Feb. 20 to consider the latest counterproposal of Suffolk Downs, but a consensus was not reached.

Suffolk Downs and the New England Horsemen's Benevolent and Protective Association continued to negotiate Feb. 18 and indications are that the two sides are creeping closer to common ground on a contract for 2011.

While the New England Horsemen's Benevolent and Protective Association board of directors held a closed door meeting the night of Feb. 8, others were feeling the fallout from the ongoing and bitter dispute with Suffolk Downs.

The horsemen in Oregon have joined the list of groups supporting the New England chapter of the Horsemen's Benevolent and Protective Association as dispute over a 2011 live racing contract at Suffolk Downs continues.

A Kentucky legislative subcommittee has deferred for a month action on Kentucky Horse Racing Commission rules requiring safety vests for jockeys, exercise riders, and anyone else on horseback at the track.

The 2009 National Horsemen's Benevolence and Protective Association will hold its Winter Convention in conjunction with the Symposium on Racing & Gaming at the Westin La Paloma Resort in Tucson, Arizona this year.

After going a month with no fatalities, Turfway Park in Northern Kentucky was the site of five catastrophic injuries during an eight-day period in February, according to state veterinarian Dr. Bryce Peckham.

Youbet.com has reached an agreement to take bets on Gulfstream Park for that track's meet which begins on Jan. 3, Sam Gordon, president of the Florida Horsemen's Benevolent and Protective Association, said Dec. 30.

A recent deal that allowed expanded distribution of the Fair Grounds racing signal was hailed by some as a step forward in the months-long nationwide dispute between horsemen, racetracks, and advance deposit wagering entities. But some horsemen's groups are categorizing the development as a step backwards in an overall plan to secure higher revenue shares for purses from a growing wagering segment.

United States District Court Judge Michael Watson granted the Ohio Horsemen's Benevolent and Protective Association's motion for partial judgment on the pleadings in its lawsuit versus the Ohio State Racing Commission, Beulah Park, River Downs, Chester Downs, and others.

Churchill Downs Inc. said Aug. 6 it was pleased with its second quarter results despite various challenges that left the company with flat earnings in year-over-year comparison, claiming a high-profile dispute with horsemen had "little impact" on certain aspects of its financial performance.

The Kentucky Horsemen's Benevolent and Protective Association has formally filed a counterclaim in the federal antitrust lawsuit brought by Churchill Downs Inc. and affiliates, and has joined with other defendants asking for their dismissal from the case.

Colonial Downs and Virginia horsemen have filed a lawsuit claiming Youbet.com is operating illegally without a license in the commonwealth, and want the advance deposit wagering company to pay back hundreds of thousands of dollars in lost source-market fees.